Getting a balloon ready for today’s Holiday Bowl “Big Bay Balloon Parade” in San Diego!
The Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade kicks off this morning at 10 o’clock on Harbor Drive near the County Administration Building!
At this very moment, folks are busily inflating the many fun balloons that will be parading down the Embarcadero to the delight of thousands of onlookers.
I can’t make it to the Big Bay Balloon Parade this year because I have to work. But I did get some cool photos that you all might enjoy!
People were out early this morning filling balloons with helium in the parking lot north of the County Administration Center.A truck hauling helium. Numerous big balloons await, ready to be filled.This fun-looking one is inflating!Looks to me like Humpty Dumpty. With all that gas inside, I think he’ll bounce should he fall.A balloon has been wheeled on a platform across the parking lot, waiting its turn to be inflated.Meanwhile, on Pacific Highway next to the County Administration Building, marching bands have begun to arrive for the parade! Highland High School came all the way from Ewing, Missouri!Band members get off the bus with instruments.The balloon-filling had just begun when I walked by. Then I had to rush home to share my pics!It’s a happy Gingerbread Man rising in the blue San Diego sky!
Early Wednesday morning in downtown San Diego, and men are hard at work collecting the city’s trash.
It’s very early Wednesday morning. That means a small fleet of garbage trucks will soon be rumbling throughout downtown San Diego. Dumpsters will be hauled, pushed, lifted and emptied. Clank! Crash! Bang! It’s trash collection day!
I took some photos last Wednesday of all the activity. I delayed posting these pictures, however, because stinky, messy trash collection didn’t seem to convey the proper Christmas spirit. (Some would probably say that it does!) Now that New Year’s Day is approaching, these photographs seem more fitting. What’s old vanishes, making way for the new!
A building’s dumpsters are ready to be hauled out and emptied.Plastic garbage cans overflow near the House of Blues. Life in the big city.Few people are about this early in the morning. One gentleman was slowly walking down Broadway.Rows of garbage receptacles in the Gaslamp. The remnants of good times.While garbage is collected, early morning deliveries are also being made, including kegs of beer on pallets.Several garbage trucks converged at once on this block and I paused to watch for a moment.Collecting garbage in downtown San Diego while many still sleep.Blue recycle bins are lifted, banging and clattering, and contents are dumped.A truck heads up to Cortez Hill. Perhaps my own trash will soon be transported away.
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Elegant stern of HMS Surprise, one of many fascinating ships owned by the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
It’s Christmas. I wasn’t planning to blog today. But this afternoon I became a new member of the Maritime Museum of San Diego! (Having lived for 15 years just a short walk from the museum, it’s about time!)
Naturally, I couldn’t wait to visit several of the amazing ships. The Maritime Museum of San Diego has one of the finest and largest collections of historical ships in the world!
If you’ve ever watched the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, then you’ll probably recognize the HMS Surprise. The beautiful tall ship, upon which many scenes were filmed, is in the museum’s collection. And I took a bunch of photos today!
Becoming a member of the Maritime Museum of San Diego is going to be awesome. Among other great perks, I can visit any of the ships free for an entire year. I can sit in the elegant enclosed passenger deck of the Steam Ferry Berkeley and read and write whenever I please! Right out on beautiful San Diego Bay! How cool is that?
I bet some of you might really enjoy membership, too! I’m told they are looking for volunteers to help sail their new Spanish galleon replica San Salvador!
HMS Surprise in some morning sunlight.The ship you are about to board was originally built as a replica of the British 24-gun frigate Rose of 1757. HMS Rose played a role in the American Revolution and was sunk in Savanna harbor in 1779.Detailed model of the HMS Surprise, which is the only operating replica of an 18th century frigate in the world. The ship was used in the filming of Master and Commander, starring Russell Crowe.Visitor to the San Diego Maritime Museum pretends to steer the tall ship HMS Surprise, which is docked on the Embarcadero near the historic Star of India, in the background.View of the ship’s main deck and lower rigging from the quarterdeck. A portion of San Diego’s skyline and the County Administration Building are visible.Cannon projects from hull of HMS Surprise, which is a replica of a 24-gun frigate of the Royal Navy, based on 18th century British Admiralty drawings.Looking upward at the three masts, furled sails and other complicated rigging.Photo through ropes of the nearby Star of India, the world’s oldest active sailing ship, also part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego.The ship’s bell. Originally named the HMS Rose, the ship was re-registered as HMS Surprise because of her starring role in the film Master and Commander.Below deck there are many fascinating exhibits, which show what life was like aboard a frigate. Other displays recall the filming of Master and Commander.Pick the right kind of shot. The Surprise carried a variety of projectiles, each suited for different purposes.Artistic depiction of activity below deck during an engagement with the enemy. Operating the cannons was a complicated, dangerous duty.Feeling seasick? Visit the surgeon. Getting sick at sea was very serious not only for the ill sailor, but also for the entire crew.Exhibit inside HMS Surprise recalls the ship’s doctor in the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. The fictional Dr. Stephen Maturin was also a scientist and naturalist.Most of the crew slept below the gun deck in hammocks. Tightly-packed swinging hammocks figured memorably in the visuals of the movie Master and Commander.Ship’s Biscuit, also known as Hard Tack, was easy to make and preserve, and became part of the staple diet for British and Spanish mariners on their long voyages in the Pacific.Chickens, geese and ducks were carried on board as live food. Officers enjoyed eggs. Fresh meat was reserved for the officers and those sick with scurvy.A remote station used for steering the ship when she is propelled by her twin diesel engines. In 2007, HMS Surprise was restored to sailing condition.One of several photos on display from the movie Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Famous actor Russell Crowe played the role of Captain Jack Aubrey.Distinctive figurehead representing the Greek goddess Athena often seen in the popular movie. It now graces San Diego’s waterfront. UPDATE! I’ve been told it actually represents Boadicea, queen of the British Celtic Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire.Photograph of the HMS Surprise as evening approaches. One of many wonderful ships that visitors can board at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
UPDATE!
A new exhibit called Man-of-War opened on HMS Surprise in May, 2018. There are many new signs around the ship, and the captain’s great cabin is now open to the public. (I intend to blog about the great cabin separately.)
Here are additional photos. Read the captions for explanations about life aboard British fighting ships from that fascinating era.
A new exhibit called Man-of-War aboard the HMS Surprise features new signs describing life aboard an 18th century British frigate. Prepare for Battle!The ship was built as replica of the HMS Rose in 1970. It was purchased by Twentieth Century Fox to be used in the movie Master and Commander, starring Russell Crowe, and was subsequently renamed HMS Surprise.Following maritime tradition, the ship has retained its original bell.Looking at the newly redecked quarterdeck of the HMS Surprise. The rest of the main deck will be restored as well.An officer on the quarterdeck would issue commands to the sailor manning the wheel, which controlled the rudder at the ship’s stern.The Disney Wonder cruise ship is seen docked in San Diego beyond the capstan. HMS Surprise was used in the filming of Disney’s movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.Many hands turned the capstan to raise or lower the anchor.Ordinary sailors relieved themselves at the ship’s bow. Hence the name head.This was a sailor’s bathroom!A man-of-war could remain at sea for many months and travel more than 150 miles per day.On the gun deck of HMS Surprise, replica twenty-four-pound cannons have names like Spit Fire, Beelzebub and Bulldog. Larger than what a frigate would carry, these were used for dramatic effect in the movie.A display demonstrates aspects of a warship’s gun and its operation.Diagram depicts how a six-man gun crew would load, aim and fire different types of shot.Sailors lived in their own specialized world, with familiar customs, rules, routines and expectations.The complex often stressful operation of a man-of-war required strict discipline. Punishments included flogging and gagging.The English diet at sea was rather simple and predictable. Lots of biscuit, beer, pease, oatmeal and butter. Pork and cheese, too.Cooking in the galley was done in calm weather. The Brodie Stove was designed for use on crowded wooden ships where dangerous fire must be avoided at all costs.A rat has found its way into a ship’s food barrel.The Royal Navy issued hard biscuits made of flour and water that were stored in sacks for months at a time. Weevils and maggots were a constant problem.Costume worn by character Midshipman Lord William Blakeney in the movie Master and Commander.Unlike the captain who in his great cabin as a gentleman lived in comparative luxury, lesser officers, like the crew, made due with cramped quarters.Midshipmen who sought to become officers learned seamanship and navigation. They had to master many skills required to operate and command a ship.Instruments used to navigate a ship included the octant and sand glass.The doctor’s quarters on the HMS Surprise. A photo shows actor Paul Bettany as the film’s character Dr. Stephen Maturin.Hammocks were often used by sailors to store clothing and personal items.A suspended mess table where sailors would eat together next to a hammock on the gun deck of museum ship HMS Surprise.
Santa and a happy kid enjoy a special Deck the Halls neighborhood block party in downtown San Diego!
I was walking home from the Fifth Avenue trolley station this evening when I stumbled upon downtown San Diego’s fun Deck the Halls holiday block party! I’d forgotten it was taking place today!
Lots of folks were out among bright Christmas lights, greeting one another, tasting food served up by various local eateries, and listening to holiday music provided by the San Diego Symphony. The special event, I learned, was put together by Clean and Safe, which is a service of the Downtown San Diego Partnership.
It appeared to me that everyone was having a great time!
It’s the Deck the Halls Brass Quintet performing holiday music! Good times were had by local residents and businesses on one block of B Street in San Diego’s financial district.A number of nearby restaurants were serving up yummy treats for all comers. Christmas lights lit up the night!These smiling folks told me the event was put together by Clean and Safe, a service of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Thank you guys!
Sign at downtown’s Omni Hotel, across Tony Gwynn Drive from Petco Park, proclaims San Diego is America’s All-Star City.
Winter is a week away. Time to start dreaming of next summer!
To help you dream, here are some photos I snapped in the past few months. During my walks around Petco Park, I’ve noticed a variety of signs which anticipate the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It will be held right here in San Diego!
Digital display on Western Metal Supply Co. building at Petco Park, the downtown stadium of the San Diego Padres, counts down the days and hours until the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.One cool “window” of the Omni Hotel seems to offer a view into the future, as the 2016 All-Star Game is being played in San Diego.Baseball’s All-Star Game is coming next summer! A few signs have popped up around Petco Park many months in advance. It’s going to be fun!
UPDATE!
Look what I saw in mid-December 2015…
Just before Christmas, All-Star Santa has been painted on the window of the San Diego Padres Store in the Western Metal Supply Co. Building!
A statue of China’s unifying First Emperor. It stands at the front entrance of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Extension of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.
From time to time I walk through San Diego’s historic Chinatown, which is located in what is officially called the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District. The area is bounded by Market Street, 2nd Avenue, 6th Avenue and J Street. You’ll find it downtown right next to the Gaslamp Quarter.
Over the years, I’ve learned a bit about San Diego’s early history during these walks. And I’ve accumulated a few photographs. Here are some cool sights that you might enjoy. I’ve provided interesting information in the captions.
The San Diego Chinese Historical Museum in the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District. The Chinese Mission Building, built in 1927, was moved in 1995 to its present location at 404 3rd Avenue.The California Mission Revival-style Chinese Mission Building, dated 1927, was designed by Louis Gill, nephew and protege of renowned architect Irving Gill.Banners along side of downtown’s San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.Looking through the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Gate on Third Avenue. Behind the museum is a small Asian garden.Ornate front of the San Diego Chinese Center, a community resource located in the Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District.A century ago, Quin Produce was located here on Third Avenue. Ah Quin ran a family produce business and was once considered the unofficial mayor of Chinatown.The Chuang Archive and Learning Center of the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum.Display in window explains Feathered Beings Iconography. Feathered beings were frequently seen motifs in artifacts of the Han Dynasty.Three bay windows at the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Extension display historical photographs and common artifacts from San Diego’s old Chinatown.Photographs in this outdoor exhibit show various aspects of Chinese culture.A view of San Diego’s Third Avenue a hundred years ago, and the family of influential businessman and civic leader Ah Quin.Items from daily life in old Chinatown include kerosene heater, iron, and a grocery scale.Scale manufactured by National Store Specialty Company, circa early 1900s.Display includes various articles used for food preparation and cooking in San Diego’s old Chinatown.Beautiful, artistic and historically interesting objects from daily life long ago in Chinatown.A walk through San Diego’s Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District provides many cool sights!
Signs of the holiday season have sprung up around San Diego a week or two before Thanksgiving.
The holidays are almost upon us! Four days until Thanksgiving!
While walking around San Diego this weekend, I noticed some signs of the coming holiday season. So I took pictures!
Ushers file past the fun Dr. Seuss Grinch Christmas Tree in front of the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park.Holiday lights are up in the courtyard of Balboa Park’s House of Hospitality.Poster in Balboa Park advertises New Direction at the North Pole! Joyful music will fill San Diego during the holiday season.The Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park is almost ready for December Nights, which will be held December 4 and 5 this year.Frosty the Snowman painted on a store window in San Diego’s sunny East County.The Salvation Army will be serving Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless in Golden Hall at the Civic Center.White Christmas opens Friday at the Spreckels Theatre.Kansas City Barbeque is offering active military a free Thanksgiving dinner.The San Diego Run For the Hungry takes place Thanksgiving morning.Traditional holiday garland and colorful ornaments festoon the Donut Bar in downtown San Diego.One of many beautiful wreaths hung all around Horton Plaza in San Diego. Christmas shopping is about to really get started on Black Friday!Surfing Santa poster in a window of the Seaport Cookie Company.Some shiny Christmas tree ornaments and festive entertainment near the Seaport Village carousel.Jolly old Saint Nick is being hung with care near stockings and candy cane pillars at the front door of a Seaport Village shop.
The silvery curving towers of the Marriott Marquis as seen from across Harbor Drive. The cluster of trees on the right contains a wonderful secret.
I’ve lived in downtown San Diego for years and years. But apparently I still have much to discover. Because I had no idea that the Marriott Marquis on our waterfront has a hidden parklike hollow, in a place where seemingly few people venture.
The quiet green space, with a beautiful lawn, fountain, waterfalls, koi and ducks is partially concealed in an island of trees. You’ll find it set back a short distance from Harbor Drive, at the center of the looping driveway that leads to the Marriott’s front entrance.
There’s no clear footpath to the hollow. But there is a fish food dispenser and a couple of stone benches, and plenty of tranquil beauty. Hotel guests who’d like to unwind and quietly relax have their own secret garden, a place for meditation in the middle of bustling San Diego!
We’ve crossed Harbor Drive and are walking on the driveway, carefully watching for cars and buses.Within the trees there’s a tranquil, inviting green space.Grass, rippling water, and a mixture of shade and sunshine fill a parklike hollow in front of the Marriott Marquis in San Diego.These ducks are enjoying a small artificial stream among some rocks.Two beautiful stone benches invite meditation.The koi wouldn’t mind a bit of food tossed their way!A shining pond reflects the nearby hotel and flagpoles on another pleasant San Diego day.
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Caution sign warns of flying pigs. It hangs outside the rear wall of Kansas City Barbeque.
Here’s some funny stuff I’ve photographed while walking about downtown San Diego. You might or might not laugh!
Downtown tattoo parlor window contains sign indicating Walkens Are Welcome.This wonderfully tasteless shirt in a restaurant window reads Dick’s Last Resort…Helping Stupid People Breed Since 1985.I’ve seen small cars, but none this tiny! A NO PARKING FIRE LANE traffic sign stands next to a narrow pedestrian path.A very silly–and possibly true–assertion at Simon Says Coffee in the Gaslamp Quarter. Coffee Is The Most Important Meal Of The Day.
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Lady promoting San Diego’s upcoming Fall Back Festival goes nose to nose with a friendly hog.
In two days a large number of characters from the Old West will be roaming the streets of modern San Diego. During the Fall Back Festival, which takes place this Sunday, November 8, between 11 and 4, several blocks of the Gaslamp Quarter will be transformed into a 1880s frontier town!
Visitors to the free event will be able to enjoy all sorts of historical exhibits, not to mention a saloon, a penny candy store, a town jail, hay and pony rides, panning for gold, butter churning, candle dipping, and a Wild West Show! Wow! I went last year and it was a lot of fun!
During my walk this morning I happened upon some folks promoting the event for the local NBC television news station. They were hanging out near the entrance to the William Heath Davis House Museum. Sneaky me… I took some pics!
Ladies in frilly dresses linger between television shoots promoting San Diego’s Fall Back Festival. The annual event, which takes place near the William Heath Davis House Museum, will recreate a 1880s frontier town.A tough Western character hangs out with a silly balloon twister. This bench is beside the historic William Heath Davis House in downtown San Diego.Two gentleman from the Old West converse on Fourth Avenue sidewalk in San Diego’s modern Gaslamp Quarter.
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Cool San Diego Sights! 